Shelving and partition support



July 7, 1953 R.' F. MGMAHAN 2,644,591

SHELVING AND PARTITION SUPPORT Filed Dec. 1o. 194s s sheets-sheet 1 ROY F. McMA/-MN Gttotncg July 7, 1953 R. F. MGMAHAN SHELVING AND PARTITION SUPPORT s 'sheets-sheet 2 Filed Dec. 10, 1948 :inventor ROY F. McMA/A/V Gttorneg July 7, 1953 R. F. MGMAHAN 2,644,591

SHELVING AND PARTITION SUPPORT Filed Dec'. 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheeil '5 Gttorneg Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATE TENT. o-FFICEJS- f SHELVING AND PARTITION SUPPORT Roy Franklin McMahan, near Louisville, Ky. Application Decemberll), 1948, Serial No. 64,606

12 Claims. (Cl. 2li-147) `This invention relates to an adjustable support for panels and shelf brackets to provide partitions for rooms, display cases or shelving, or the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a type of support which easily installed, may

serve as a support for adjustable cantilevers or bracket for use with .such a support Which is inexpensive and is arranged to be secured to the support at various predetermined angles to the horizontal. n

Still another object is the provision of a selfsupportng display unit which is versatile and can be employed in a variety of combinations with shelving and bases. y

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which are illustrated` preferred embodiments of the invention by way of example and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view'of my invention showing a support carrying partitions and a cantilever type bracket arm, ,K

Figure 2 is a section taken on plane 2, 2 of Figure 1 looking downward, y

Figure 3 is a fragment of a blank perforated vsheet ready to be formed into the vertical support upright shown in Figure l,A v

VFigure 4 .is a fragmentary `front elevational view of the support and partition members assembled for service,

' Figure 5 is a side elevational viewof Figure 4 without the partition and with a portion of fa bracket arm assembled'thereto,

Figure 6 lis a side elevational view of the attachment end of the bracket arm,

Figure 7 is an end elevation of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 6 of a modification,

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 of.

a modification, and

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a selfstanding assembly embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the upright designated generally by the numeral I may be made from a single piece of sheet metal by bending and punching operations. For this 'purpose a sheet of the required length and width, a fragment of which is shownin Figure 3, is bent or folded along the-broken lines a to h respectively to form a square or rectangular tubular portion bounded by walls IGA, IB, IDC, ISD and 98E. The walls -IilA and lillil` provide a gap therebetween and have spaced webs lG and IQF. respectively extending therefrom, and which webs in turn end in wings or fianges IJ and IGH, ren` spectively. Flanges IIlJ and lill-I may terminate substantially in the planes of ywalls IR'IB and IllD respectively. AThus the wall lilA, web G and fiange m5' form a laterally opening` channel IIB, with the bottom walls H3G and IGFof the respective channels in spaced'relation to provide a slot I2. Before bending the blank into .the shape above described, the blank is punched to pro vide a double series of key apertures I3 andv Ill near its edges, said apertures being oppositely' positioned and being located to lie in' therespective web and flange portions of the upright when the blank is bent, so that after the blank is bent to shape .the notched pa'rt'ISB, MB of each aperture will provide seats and lie in the web portions or bottom Wall of each channel, and the slot parts ISA, MA will lie in both the bottomand aside wall of each channel. v f

' In the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to '7, the upright It is adapted' to be held upright in any suitable manner as by attachment to ajwall,

and the upright is adapted to adjustably'receive one or more shelf brackets indicated generally by I5. This bracket comprises ya web IA bent into`v a generall serpentine shape and bent over atthe n top to provide a flangey ISB which is also of Aserpentine shape and `has aperturesy 50 therein. The base part ISD (Figure 6) of the bracket has an upper hole IS therein in which is located a lateral projection in the form of a peg or dowel Il, .and near the bottom of the web is located a hole I8 which receives a peg or dowel i9. The dowel I 9 maybe carried on a-,iiex'ible arm 2i) suitably'pivoted at -2I on the web by a loose rivet.

The shelf bracket is assembled lto the upright by inserting the base ISD of the web into the slot' I2 with the dowels Il and I9 in alignment with pairs of spaced slots A, IliA until the dowels drop into the enlarged portions, seats ISB, MB.. The bracket is thusflocked in position against displacement by any weight imposed thereon and dowel I9 cannot move rearward because itengages walls IGA, IIJE.

Each flange portion IUJ and IUH has tongues 22 Figs. 1, 2 and 9 extending into channels IIA and IIB respectively, which may be formed by striking inwardly a portion of the respective flanges. The channels IIA and IIB are of a width to receive the panels 23, 24 of plywood or other suitable material, and tongues 22 serve as stops to prevent the edges 26 Vof the panels from getting so close to the'web IBG as to interfere with free movement of the dowels I'I and I9 in inserting or' removing a shelf bracket. When assembled, the panels 'may be secured to the uprights by screws or bolts passing through suitable holes (not shown) in the parts IIIA, IIIJ or IDE, IDI-I, and thus serve to conceal the tubular upright portion. The panels alsov serve to hold the uprights vertical and provide lateral -support therefor. y Y .i ,t carrying one or more brackets I5 may be provid- A pair of uprights I0, each ed, and the brackets support boards or sheets w thereon to serve as shelves. The shelves may be vertically adjusted by shifting the shelf bracket to any. pair of aligned 'slots I3, I4, and by lo-` catings'uch slots one inch'apart, the shelves may be adjusted by increments 'of vone inch.

Prvision is' fadeiosupporting the sneu brackets'AatY any predetermined angle to the horiorital.` For this 'purpose a series of holes ISA, ISB, IBC; etc.` are formed about pivot 2| as the centerf'Thellinejoining holes I6 and I8 makes a right angle with thetop 'surface of flange IEB, sotha't'when'the dowels are inserted in these holes` the bracket I5 will be supported with its upper 'surface normal to the upright. The line joining-'holes IB'and |8A forms an obtuse angle so'th'at by"`liftingfdowel I9 out of hole I5 and shifting it tohole IBA, andinserting the bracket into upright the top of the bracket will slope iightiy upward. '"By "shirting'owei is to either o'f`hl`es `I8B orl IBC,v thebracket and 'shelf carried thereby'will slopedownwar'd at the corref spending anglei This latter arrangement providesabetter 'display Lfor' certain items, particu-Y larly when the shelf is/"locat'ed above or at the lineV of sight.` The'iiexiblearm 2l)A enables this shifting to be done easily'as the arm holds the dwel'on'a radius so'that merely by the sense of feel and without fumbling the dowel can be positioned' in -the pr'opei` hole. In addition,V the arm holds' the `dowel so it cannot be iost.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the arm has a hole inme'ac'hJ end, one end Abeing received on the dowel Il, and the other hole carrying the dowel I9. By slightly deforming the holes 'they mayftake a' rm'grip' on"the'dowels. In this arrangement heholes I8, IBA, IBB, IBG, etc. are located about x A l e dowel I9 may be shifted 'as above described, the dowel'. l1 eiviri'fi'fj tenter rivet fer the 'am 2D.

Y In t n l upright madewof two 'complementary' bent 'plates having side walls4 IB'an/'d IBD, inwardly turned walls IGA and IUE with webs IBG and IDF extending therefrom which terminate in flanges HIJ and IDI-I." The rear edges of walis IBB and IBD are flanged, and at suitableintervals spacer plates 21 are welded vto Vthere'ar flanges. This constructionv effectsa saving in material and eliminates two bends in'the manufacturing cperatn In the embodiment shown in Figure l0, which is designated to'be v"selfstanding, `a` base member 28, which may be shaped like the uprightY I Il, has aslot'29 running its length. A webor Yplate 3i extends. thieugh Seid Slot and ieiihs 510i I2 0f the modification illustrated in Figure 9 the.

dowel I'I as nthe Vcenter', and the v 4 the upright member, and the web may be secured in position by spot welding, or in any other suitable manner. At the top, the base member is bent over to provide an apertured flange 32 and base members.

l The uprights I0 may be of any desired height, and Va display stand may be formed of any desiredlength, using two or more such uprights with their bases.' V'Such a display stand is easily portable as it need not be secured to the building walls. Two such displays arranged back to back may form an island display in which the two sides' are separated by the back'parieli`g'23, 24, and the supporting VtubularY members arefcdii`I ceale'd"thereby`. By"forming` thel base '28 four 'an-10.119 han inch@ high and Supporting? 3f half inch plywood bottom 34, a standard vefinch front baseboar'd'35 maybe employed to cover the front.V The bottom'may be arranged to provide, a display shelf, or can be b uilt into Vprovide-a.

counter, showcase, or manyV other' kinds of'dis play'equipment'. 'y V I claim as my invention: l. A. combined sel'ffstanding partition and Shelf support comprising: Aan upright 'member having a bifurcated '.face;` substantially parallel webs extending enteriorly from the edges of said bifurcation, each web j of said"'upright having a series of seats therein and slots extending from said seats to the edges of said'ivebs; arid'o'iipoff' siteiy turned iiaiiges"ath'eV` edges of "said webs providing with said face opposi'tely opening'chanl nels adapted to receive partitions therein.

2:t A combined partition"andshelfspport as specified in 4claim Yl` Yhaving inwardlyy "struck tongues extending from the walls of said chai nels to provide partiti'n stopsf" v' 3. A ombined'pa a io'nn'd shelf support as specified in claim' 1'wheierrii` "'sa'duslotsl eiterd at least partway into'said flanges.

specified in claim 1 wherein walls' extend rear# cated" face, and'niearis is providedl joining the edges of -said latter wallstoprovide a'tubular upright. n A n A u Y* 'V 5v. A combined partition and shelf.' support: asy specified in claim 1 in 'cirbiiationwith a bra et having a verticalwwebadaiptedto yhe receiv 1 in said bifurcationl and tran 'rs l'iro-jectios @needing froff'ed ii'tic with a pair of opposed slots in Said upright.

-6. A combined seiffstanlding partition and shelf support'as Vspeciiiefc*in cla-iin l" in corri-V bmation with a tifurcated] generally ltutV l transverse base memberi4 at 'vwebfextending through said bifurcation'in Ythev base inerribfer and into the bifurcation in said uprightfsaid web being secured in said upright V'and base member to hold said base'imb'rand' upright 'in angular relation; said web member having an apertured flange'at its top'edge forreceptidn 'of a shelf, and an apertured ear at theffrontlend for attachment of bm' board thereto.' i' 7. A combined' self tandirighpartition and Shelf Suppen es sessies@ iii Elairf e 'e @nu registering;

transverse web passing into said bifurcation at the base of said upright and secured thereto, said latter web member having an apertured flange at its top edge for reception of a shelf, and an apertured ear at the front end for attachment of a baseboard thereto.

8. A support for shelves and partitioning material adapted for attaching to a wall or the like, comprising a vertical channel having a vertical slot and webs projecting outwardly from each side of said slot, each of said webs having a ange directed oppositely to each other and parallel to said wall to provide channels there- With for receiving partition material, and correlated seats in said webs and anges adapted to receive and retain bracket members.

9. In a support for shelves and partitions, inn cludin'g in combination: a one-piece, vertical channel member formed from a rectangular sheet of metal into a substantially rectangular cross-section body having a longitudinal slot between juxtaposed exterior webs with anges along the edges of said webs; said Webs and anges providing a vertical seat for said partition and having a plurality of opposing and horizontally disposed seats arranged in pairs for receiving bracket pins; and a bracket arm having an end formed to enter said slot and provided with transverse pins disposed in said end, each pin adapted to engage a pair of said seats.

10. A shelf support comprising: a pair of vertical webs arranged in spaced parallel relation to provide a slot; said webs having flanges directed oppositely to each other and correlated seats in said webs and anges adapted to receive and retain bracket members therein.

11. A shelf support comprising a pair of Vertical webs arranged in spaced parallel relation to provide a vertical slot; said webs having substantially horizontal slots in pairs in the forward edges terminating in depressed enlarged por-A tions; and a bracket member receivable in said Vertical slot from the front and having laterally extending lugs receivable 'through said horizontal slots and adapted to seat in said enlarged portions to hold the bracket in Weight supporting position.

12. In a shelf support: a one-piece vertical @channel member formed from a rectangular sheet of metal into a substantially rectangular cross-section body having a longitudinal slot between juxtaposed exterior webs; said Webs having a plurality of opposing and horizontally disposed seats arranged in pairs for receiving bracket pins; and a bracket arm having an end formed to enter said slot and provided with transverse pins disposed in said end, each pin being adap'ted to engage a pair of said seats.

ROY FRANKLIN MCMAHAN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 392,061 Peckham Oct. 30, 1888 945,280 Sindberg Jan. 4, 1910 1,219,208 Zahner et al. Mar. 17. 1917 1,371,256 Michaelson Mar. 15, 1921 1,446,233 Willett Feb. 20, 1923 1,685,336 Platt Sept. 25, 1923 1,830,438 Miller Nov. 3, 1931 2,013,763 Olsen Sept. 10, 1935 2,044,642 Slater June 16, 1936 2,086,009 Walker July 6, 1937 2,230,247 Henning Feb. 4, 1941 2,263,282 Welch et al NOV. 18, 1941 2,453,254 Odin Nov. 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,818 Great Britain May 24, 1904 731,771 France Sept. 8, 1932 

